If you've been waiting to buy in on the Celtics this season, now would be a good time.
At this point, it's getting harder to figure out what's most impressive about this group, who continue to nip at Philadelphia's heels for that top spot in the division (shocker, no help from the Lakers on Wednesday). The defense seems like the obvious choice, but then the Celtics go out and put on an offensive clinic against Utah Wednesday night — similar to what they just did to the Nuggets.
It's been said quite a bit already, but it's truly wild to think this team was considered a borderline play-in tournament team this very season.
"Guys are confident, playing free, playing together" Ime Udoka said after Bostons' 125-97 shellacking of Utah. "That's the most clear thing you can see. The ball movement, the crispness on offense and taking advantage of opportunities. Feel we are very balanced in isolation, off-ball, pick and roll, post up and we have a lot of versatility as far as that offensively.
"Our assist numbers have been going up — got 37 tonight. Making shots is always — you'll benefit from the made shot, but the unselfishness is there. You see the ball popping around. Guys are passing up shots and getting everybody else in, and it's becoming contagious."
Even though they were without Rudy Gobert for a big chunk of the season, the Jazz still rank ninth in defensive rating. They'd probably be higher if he didn't miss so much time. Regardless, he was on the floor Wednesday, and Boston still had 93 points by the end of the third quarter, nearly outscoring Utah by 30 by game's end. Speaking of the third quarter, the Celtics didn't have that post-halftime hiccup they've been experiencing.
Whether it was Marcus Smart taking a charge with the Celtics up by 27 or the back-to-back blocks from Al Horford and Jayson Tatum in the quarter's final second — neither of which were at the rim — Boston did not let up in the third, outscoring the Jazz and limiting them to 23 points.
Most important of all, they didn't let Utah make up ground. That's what winning teams do.
Speaking of Boston's efforts on the defensive end, how about the fact the Jazz have the No. 1 offensive rating in the NBA? Yet they only scored 97 points Wednesday. That's the second time the Jazz failed to eclipse the century mark this month — but that hasn't happened to them in any additional games since the start of February.
"I think we all feel there's another level we can take it to," Udoka said. "Being even more stingy on defense and everybody getting on board offensively. You can kind of see Daniel (Theis) and Derrick (White) starting to figure it out on both sides, so it just adds to us as a team and (provides) some extra weapons offensively when guys like Payton (Pritchard) are going, as well."
While White's offense certainly could improve, it's hard to imagine the Celtics can do much else to improve as a team. But with the way this team keeps trending, they may just find a way.
